Policy and program considerations for increasing sport participation among members of underrepresented groups in Canada

Sport should be available and responsive to the needs of all Canadians who want to participate. However, members of a number of groups do not participate at the same rates as their mainstream counterparts. Some women and girls, Indigenous peoples, persons with a disability, recent immigrants, new Canadians, socio-economically disadvantaged Canadians, older adults, members of…

Examining Difference: LTAD and Athletes with a Disability

Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development Model offers an important conceptual framework to chart athlete development along the continuum of sport participation from playground to podium. Yet among athletes with a disability, each of whom enters and engages within the sport system in a unique way, it can be difficult to delineate a common pathway. Individuals…

Addressing Barriers to Physical Activity

Being physically active is such an important part of everyday life. Research has shown that being physically active goes a long way in helping prevent many different diseases, including Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and depression. Despite this research, statistics show that children and adults are not as physically active as they should be. Why…

The Paradox of Integration: Building a Panacea or Exacerbating a Partition?

Canada prides itself for celebrating difference. In recent years, NSO’s too have embraced diversity by welcoming athletes with disabilities through a policy of integration intended to level the playing field and elicit podium success. Although this progressive approach aims to streamline sport delivery and technical services for high performing para athletes, the flip side is…

Coaching Tips – making sport inclusive for all

For most people, the first youthful experiences within sport have a dramatic effect on the long-term idea of what they are capable of and if positive, can pave the way for future success. Unfortunately it’s common for children with disabilities to be left to the sidelines in mainstream sport partly because coaches may not be…

Women’s World Wheelchair Basketball Championships

The Women’s World Wheelchair Basketball Championships which runs from June 20-28, are underway at the Mattamy Center in Toronto. This tournament will host 12 of the best women’s wheelchair basketball teams on the planet, all of whom hope to lay claim to the title of the world’s best team. Canada comes into this tournament having…

Adaptive Winter Sports

Being active is beneficial for our overall health both physically and mentally. Physical activity should be inclusive of all people, no matter their ability or disability. Now that winter is upon us, people of all abilities should be able to enjoy winter sports. For people with disabilities, adaptive winter sports can provide a great way…

Special Olympics: Helping Build a Community

by Trent Weir  Algonquin College Sport Business Management Intern The community that Special Olympics fosters is full of inspirational people. One such example is Susie Doyens, a woman with Down syndrome who was non-verbal for most of her life. She would only speak to her mother and even then, just a few words. However once…